poke 1 of 3

noun (1)

Definition of pokenext
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1
as in jab
a quick thrust please stop giving the cat pokes while it's trying to sleep

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2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument you'd better shut up if you don't want a poke on the nose

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3
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings the constantly bickering husband and wife seem unable to let five minutes pass without an exchange of gratuitous pokes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

poke

2 of 3

noun (2)

ˈpōk How to pronounce poke (audio)
chiefly Southern & Midland
as in pouch
a container made of a flexible material (as paper or plastic) the old warning against buying a pig in a poke

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poke

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point saw his head poking through the window

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2
as in to interfere
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern told him to stop poking into other people's business

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3
as in to crawl
to move or act slowly just poked around all morning and didn't accomplish much

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4
as in to drag
to move slowly they were just poking along home

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of poke
Noun
For example, one of these receptors in your skin could be activated by the poke of a sharp object, the cold of an ice pack, the heat from a mug of cocoa, a chemical burn from household bleach, or a combination of all three kinds of stimulation. — Yenisel Cruz-Almeida, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2025 The new tree from Fancy Feast also comes with cat-safe decorations that can handle pokes from playful paws without breaking. — Kelli Bender, People.com, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
The video shows an officer ripping Dallas Police Department patches off officers’ uniforms to reveal Fort Worth patches, poking fun at the Fort Worth department’s hiring of 14 Dallas officers. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2025 After the song finished, Colbert appeared and quickly dove into Trump’s address, first poking fun at the speech’s theme. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poke
  1. protrude
  2. interfere
  3. crawl
  4. drag
  5. mess
  6. linger
  7. creep
  8. snoop
Verb
  • Similarly, instead of modifying the landscape, McGuire integrated it into the pad’s design—a bridged walkway passes through two massive granite boulders, leading the way to the front door, and the office/guest room features an integrated desk, with a boulder protruding through a wall of glass.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Hands protrude from a wound in its spine, suggesting something even worse is inside trying to get out.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of protrude
Verb
  • Cabinet members reportedly watched the fiery exchange without interfering.
    — Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Chuck Todd: Jeff Bezos is blaming the victim Whatever Bezos’s personal reasons are, equally important is the fact that he is emboldened to interfere so brazenly.
    — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of interfere
Verb
  • Wright crawled out of the driver’s side door of the vehicle, Chargualaf said.
    — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
  • But, somehow, life finds a way: The seafloor was crawling with critters of all shapes and sizes, from centuries-old sponges and cup corals to octopuses, snails, worms, sea spiders, icefish and even a rare giant phantom jellyfish.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of crawl
Verb
  • The Steelers have shown little urgency, both before free agency and now as the Rodgers saga drags on, to sign Wilson.
    — Mike DeFabo, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • JPMorgan analysts expect Tesla’s woes to continue, predicting the company’s weakest quarter for car deliveries since 2022 as Elon Musk’s divisive role in the Trump Administration drags on the EV maker’s performance.
    — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Trade professionals and home improvement DIYers often buy heavy-duty handheld vacuums to clean job site messes like sawdust, drywall dust or wood shavings.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
  • That messed me up, that messed my friends up, messed my whole family up.
    — Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of mess
Verb
  • The discoloration may linger after the fungus has been removed.
    — Sarah Bradley, Health, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The palate is intensely flavored with citrus fruits and a stone-fruit character, balanced by a crisp acidity and a dry, lingering finish.
    — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of linger
Verb
  • Prices have crept upwards, a strategy also reflected in its sister brands COS and Arket who are edging towards what can only be described as ‘mid-tier luxury’ high street - no longer shy about four-figure price tags on coats.
    — Zoe Bayliss Wong, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • After 1850, carbon dioxide levels crept up slowly at first and then rapidly accelerated.
    — Paul Bierman, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of creep
Verb
  • Further stirring the pot is the appearance of an FBI agent (Jenna Elfman) who starts snooping around into missives about Vines’ death.
    — Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Starlink should not be able to snoop on the details of White House staffers’ usage, thanks to nearly-universal encryption of web site and app traffic.
    — Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of snoop

Phrases Containing poke

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poisons
poke
poke (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Poke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poke. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on poke

Nglish: Translation of poke for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about poke

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